People of the Old World
Player Races Humans Humans had the largest population of any sentient race in the Old World, and formed the leadership of most of its nations. Though short-lived, humanity's rapid breeding and aggressive nature led them to spread north from Kothys and into Revula and Edite, creating countless cultures and languages as they went. In Corunda, humans also make up the majority of the colonies' population, though they are vastly outnumbered by the races native to that continent. Elves Elves originated in eastern Edite at roughly the same time as humans began developing culture in Kothys. Despite their long lifespans, their numbers were never great, and dwindled further as interspecies contact led to conflict. Over the millennia, most elves integrated fully into the dominant culture of whatever region they live in, with a few exceptions. In the great eastern empire of Jia, for example, only elves ever officially held the throne, despite long since being outnumbered by humans, halflings, and even dwarves. In Corunda, elves are relatively few and far between, and many even wonder if there are enough left to create a sustainable population going forward. Dwarves Dwarves trace their origins to the rugged mountains of northern Revula, though clans of industrious miners, craftsmen, and warriors could be found in almost every corner of the Old World. Like elves, dwarves tended to adapt to the cultures they coexisted with, though a few traditions were universal: a love of alcohol, a love of song, a love of gold, and a love of fighting. Almost every dwarf follows the Pantheon of Uton, preferring the pragmatic and personal nature of the faith to more rigid belief systems, though they tend to get on well with others of different faiths. In Corunda, dwarves are the second most populace colonist race--though the halflings may soon pass them--as the opportunities available on the new content proved irresistible to many of the stout folk. Halflings Halfings originated in Kothys alongside the humans. Though the races' relationship was initially hostile, with both competing for resources and halflings at a distinct disadvantage, the gradual emergence of stable societies brought the two peoples' close together. Though few independent halfling nations ever existed in the Old World, and in many cultures halflings were oppressed or even enslaved, as a whole they acquired mostly equal footing with humans and could be found in every walk of life, from the halls of power to the alleyways of the ghetto. In Corunda, halflings are the third most populace race among the colonists, though their short lifespans and rapid breeding--a trait they share with the humans--means they may soon outnumber the dwarves. Tieflings Tieflings are not a race in the traditional sense; instead, they are a pure-breeding offshoot of humanity created through magical influence. They were originally thought to have appeared some five hundred years before the fall of the Great Victanian Empire, in the desert nations of northern Kothys, and according to legend were created by an would-be emperor who made a pact with demons to create an army of unstoppable soldiers. The veracity of this claim is undetermined, but certainly tieflings were treated with mistrust and hostility in most lands due to their fiendish appearances. Never a particularly populous people, most tieflings existed on the fringes of society, often as drifters or vagabonds. In Corunda, they are a tiny minority of the colonial population--no more than a few hundred in number--and have not fared much better than their ancestors in achieving equality. Monstrous Races Goblins Goblins of the Old World were a small, spindly, barbarous species generally considered to be intelligent only by the strictest technical definition. Though often a threat to travelers and rural dwellers, goblins never demonstrated the capacity for nation-building or army-raising, and were essentially little more than dangerous pests. This is, of course, a marked difference to the goblins of Corunda--assuming, of course, that they are actually even the same species. Orcs Orcs were and are a large, violent species of tusked humanoids similar in build and stature to gorillas. They originated in Kothys at roughly the same time as humans and halflings, and were the primary threat to both races for thousands of years before the beginning of recorded history. They live even shorter lives and breed even faster than humans and halflings, though their incredibly aggressive nature limited their technological development and eventually led them to fall far behind their competitors. Through countless migrations and forced relocations, orcs spread across the Old World into the darkest corners of every land, typically relying on raiding and cannibalism to survive. Some industrious few, however,somehow managed to cobble together a fleet of ships and made it across the sea to Corunda. There, unrestrained by the close proximity of humans and other races, they have spread and prospered in the frigid northern climes of the new continent, coming into regular conflict with the native races and the Estrilian colonies.